Angel of Death
by Dead Vamp Rising
Summary: Has been handed over to another Author, see my page or inside for details.
1. Whammy House

The white snow fell to the ground covering it in a gossamer sheet. A large ominous church stood at the end if the road making the scene picture perfect for a Christmas card. The teenage girl smiled sadly. Looks like this was her new home. Her only home in fact, at least from what she could remember.

The car stopped, knocking the girl out of her dazed state. As the woman who brought her here went to get her suitcase from the trunk, the girl stretched and stepped out into the frosty air.

The girl was of average height. Her physical condition was good and she had very soft, delicate features. Her brow and green eyes were apparently her main feature as was her hair. She wore a pair of black jeans, a black and red corset like top and a floor length leather coat. Big black steel-toe-cap shoes adorned her feet. Round her neck sat a single necklace that she'd had as long as she could remember. Her coal black hair was highlighted with pink and green. She wasn't particularly fond of the colour pink but it looked good in her hair. She would change it next week anyway.

Her dark appearance made her stand out of the crowd more often than not in England, as it wasn't exactly the norm. With the white snow surrounding her she looked like the angel of death, minus the black wings.

She took the suitcase from the woman and made her way up the path to a grey haired man who was wearing a warm smile.

"Hello Roger. This is the girl I told you about on the phone Tripp MacLellan. Tripp this is Roger, the principle if you will of Wammy House." The woman told her. Tripp smiled at the man warmly.

"Hello." Tripp said. He smiled back.

"Hello to you to Tripp and welcome to Wammy House. I hope you like your time here."

"I'm sure I will." she replied. With that the woman took her leave and Roger walked her into the huge church like building.

As the girl walked down the long halls of the orphanage she noticed how there weren't many children around. She saw some older kids in the library and others hanging out in what looked like the lounge but that was pretty much it.

Tripp asked Roger about this.

"Everyone is in class right now. I'll give you about two hours to unpack and get settled here then I will get someone to take you to your class." He told her stopping at a door.  
"And this is your room. I'll leave you here and again welcome to Wammy House." He smiled walking back the way he came. Tripp sighed and opened her door.

The room was basic, a bed, a desk, beside table and lamp, a computer and a dresser for clothes and junk. The computer was a bonus that Tripp was glad about. She found that she was a bit of a computer freak in the past couple of weeks. Tripp put down her suitcase on the bed and gave a half-hearted smile.

"Looks like this is home now."


	2. Meeting

It had been two hours and 15 minutes since Tripp had first arrived at Wammy House Orphanage. She had finished unpacking about 15 minutes after Roger had left her here. She had travelled light mostly because well, that was all she had. When she had finished unpacking Tripp took out her sketchbook and decided to do more work on perfecting her ideas. She got so engrossed in her imagination that when a student finally came to the door she fell off the bed.

Now she was walking down the hallways again to her new class. She was lead to a room that was occupied by about 24 pupils (not including herself) and a female teacher. Tripp smiled.

"Hey."

Tripp saw the teacher smile and motioned for her to stand in front of the class as the teacher put a hand on Tripp's shoulder.

"Class this Tripp MacLellan. She just joined today so make her feel welcome." The teacher's speech was followed by a ring of half-hearted hello's. It was nearing the end of the day after all.

"Tripp how about you tell us a little about yourself?" asked the teacher. Tripp stiffened, this was what she'd been dreading.

She gave a half-hearted laugh and scratched her head, her automatic nervous reaction.

"Um. Well I can't really do that." Tripp said.

"Oh come one no one will tell." The teacher laughed. She obviously hadn't been updated on Tripp's 'condition'. Tripp noticed how everyone was now interested in this odd girl standing on front of them. Tripp sighed, her hands dropping to her sides in defeat.

"I mean it I seriously can't tell you." Tripp said looking down to the floor.

"Why not?" the teacher asked, truly stumped. Tripp looked to the class, smiling sadly.

"Because I woke up two weeks ago with out _any_ previous memories. I couldn't, can't, remember anything, not even my own name. Yet I can remember facts information. For example things I've learnt in school. But not anything else." Everyone stared at this girl hoping for more information while the teacher went beat red and excused herself from the classroom, leaving Tripp standing in front of the class.

"Hey look every one. It's Mello's long lost sister." Laughed a boy with very short hair, making a majority of the class laugh, except for a feminine looking boy with blonde hair, a maroon haired boy and a boy with white hair. Tripp guessed that the blonde hair boy was Mello as he looked like he was about to blow a gasket.

Tripp frowned at the brown-haired boy.

"Shut the hell up bone head." She told him. At that moment the teacher came in again an apologized. Tripp was told to take the empty seat beside the window at the back, which she did.

"Oh, before I forget. Mello and Matt, you're to show Tripp around for the week." She told them. Mello, who was sitting in front of Tripp, mumbled an angry agreement. He already knew is was in enough hot water from the 'incident' the week before.

"Don't be so enthusiastic." Tripp whispered but the maroon hair boy must have heard her because she saw his shoulders shaking with laughter. Mello noticed this and nudged his friend.

"What you laughing at?" he asked. Matt pointed to the girl behind him with his head, not taking his eyes of the PSP screen. Mello turned to see the girl looking outside, a dazed off look in her face.

"Mello, you can look at Tripp after class, right now you need to pay attention." The teacher called making the class burst into laughter.

"Looks like Mello has a girlfriend." The boy from earlier said laughing. Tripp rolled her eyes. Moron. Taking the slingshot from her pocket along with a small red ball she aimed for the boy's head.

Ready…

Aim…

"Fire." She whispered letting go of the elastic band making the small ball fly through the air and hit the boy right in the back of the head.

"Yes!" she whispered to herself although Mello and Matt both heard her jubilant cheer and turned to her.

"Oww!!!" shouted the brown hair brown holding his head in pain. Tripp, ignoring the two boys that were looking at her, put the sling shot back in her pocket and turned to the window.

"What is it now Kyle." Asked the teacher turning the injured boy.

"Something hit me!" he screeched. The teacher sighed and turned back to the board continuing with the lesson. Tripp giggled to herself and looked to the boy she'd hit. He was already looking to her and she waved in the I-did-it way making him glare. Tripp just brushed it off and looked out the window, already guessing she'd hear more about this later.

The rest of the class went by in a daze. When asked for an answer for a question she would answer then go back to the window, watching the snowfall. Every so often she noticed the glares from Kyle and others from his obvious gang.

Before she knew it the bell for the end of the day rung and everyone made there way out of the class, not before the teacher, whose name Tripp kept missing, gave the final announcement.

"Remember! All classes are cancelled for the next two weeks for Christmas."

Tripp frowned.

It was Christmas already? Tripp was packing up when a shadow fell over her. She looked up to Mello who was looking down on her, a chocolate bar in his hand and the red haired boy looking at his PSP screen. He was about to say something when Tripp stood and walked towards the door. She got to the doorway until Kyle and gang stopped her. Tripp sighed.

"Hey, girly…" instead of listening to him she attempted to push through them but couldn't.

"Move." She told them, not bothered with niceties. They just laughed.

"Or what?" Kyle asked. Tripp rolled her eyes.

"Or, this!" she said punching the leader in the face knocking him back to the wall. Mello, Matt and the teacher came running when they heard the crash.

"What happened?" the teacher demanded looking at Kyle who was holding his jaw in pain.

"He can't take a punch." Tripp said, turning to the teacher, looking as if she had just deducted something and not punched a boy in the face. The teacher looked at Tripp in shock and then to the Kyle who was glaring at Tripp in anger but also wonder. The teacher sighed.

"I'm sorry Tripp but you'll have to come with me." Tripp nodded, expecting this. Mello and Matt frowned at the girl's willingness and that she seemed completely oblivious to the fact she had just punched a boy not caring about the consequences. Tripp was taken by the teacher to Roger's office, Mello and Matt following behind.

When Tripp came out she was looking at the hand she'd punched Kyle with. It was still stinging with the contact. Mostly because she hadn't punched someone before.

Well, she couldn't remember punching anyone, but what that boy Kyle said to her set something off.

Had someone said that to her before?

She walked passed Mello and Matt, not taking in their presence, just looking at her fist, a frown sketched into her face.

"Hey! You!" came a voice from behind. Tripp turned to see Mello and the red haired boy walking up to her.

"What do you want?" she asked in the same snippy tone Mello had used. The two boys walked up to her, the blonde biting into a chocolate bar and the maroon haired boy playing his PSP.

"We were told to show you around. If you're found wandering around by yourself we will get the blame." Said the maroon haired boy. Tripp frowned for a moment then it hit her.

"Ah, Mello and Matt right?" she asked, pointing to the blonde then the maroon haired boy. Mello smirked.

"Yeah, and you're the girl who punched someone on your first day. Quite impressive for your first day." Tripp rolled her eyes and sighed.

_Brilliant. The 'badass' is talking to me._

"Why'd you punch him anyway?" asked Matt, not looking up. Tripp shrugged.

"Beats me." She said, looking off into space, twirling her necklace.

"What do you mean by that? You don't know why you punched him?" said Mello taking another bite of chocolate.

"I was pissed because he was in my way. But why exactly I punched him that hard I don't know." Tripp said, shrugging again. Mello frowned at the odd girl standing in front of him as she twisted a locket in her fingers.

"Are you two planning on moving anytime soon?" asked Tripp looking at the two boys. Mello smirked and turned, walking the way Matt and he came, Matt following not looking up.

"You coming?" Mello called over his shoulder. Tripp grumbled angrily to herself. She didn't want to follow the stuck up blonde but she had to admit, she was lost in this huge orphanage. Running behind, Tripp looked over Matt's shoulder to see he was playing Devil May Cry 3.

"Is that any good?" she asked, watching the gamer. For the first time the gamer looked up to Tripp who was watching the screen.

"Yeah. Why? You like video games?" he asked. She looked at him smiling.

"Well, I've played some but I'm not very good. Can't remember anything so I sort had to start again with video games. Guitar Hero is good though." She said walking beside Matt, who was again looking at the PSP screen,

"So how is the whole amnesia thing?" asked Mello out of the blue. Tripp looked at Mello who wasn't looking at her.

"It's irritating. It's like… it's like you have a jigsaw puzzle and you've almost finished but the main pieces are missing. In short it sucks." She told him.

"What's that you keep playing with?" Mello asked, acting like he didn't care. Tripp looked at him like he was an idiot.

"It's a banana, what the hell does it look like." She asked him, irritated by his stupid questions. Two girls walked past Tripp and laughed at her dark appearance.

"Nice Halloween costume." The blonde one said giggling. Tripp turned to the girl, smiling sweetly.

"Really? Thanks, like yours better." Tripp told her looking at her short skirt and yellow vest. The blonde girl blinked, taken aback as Tripp followed Mello and Matt.

Matt laughed at Tripp's comment to the blonde girl.

"Assholes." Tripp said to herself. She turned to Mello when she felt his eyes boring into the side of her skull.

"Take a picture it will last longer." She told him. Mello glared at her and she just smiled and turned back to face were she was going.

"I was being serious when I asked what it was." He told her. Tripp sighed.

"Well seeing as you asked I _so nicely _I'll tell you. It's locket, it was round my neck when I woke up, it's they only thing I have from my past." She told him, not looking at the blonde boy and biting her thumb.  
"Were did you wake up? I'm guessing that it wasn't in a house." the gamer said. Tripp gave a small laugh and smile.

"Well, we are asking a lot questions today aren't we boys?" she said turning to the two boys.

"You came into the class claiming not to remember anything about your past yeah, we're curious." Mello told her. Tripp rolled her eyes and sighed.

"No it wasn't in a house. Far from it actually. I woke up in an alley with several stab wounds and the knife still in my back. An old man came over to me; he must have heard my groans of pain. He phoned the police and help me out then sent me here." She told them. She looked up to see them both with shocked looks on their faces.

"I still have the knife actually it's in my room. Of course I still have the scars as well but I've gotten used to them." She told them shrugging.

"And this happened only two weeks ago? How can you be so damn calm about it?" asked Mello. Tripp laughed.

"Because from my point of view I'm lucky. Most of the children here have lost their parents. Me?" she said looking at the two boys from the side of her eye.

" I just forgot them."


	3. I Love Rock n' Roll!

Mello and Matt had been silent since Tripp told them how she became an orphan

**A/N: Okay, I really hated the first version of this chapter so I changed parts and added parts. It might not be any better but hey my exams start on Wednesday so I'm a little over whelmed at the moment and haven't been able to think creatively for a while. Anyway hope you enjoy it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note, Transformers or Guitar Hero, but my brothers do own a Jazz and Bubble Bee toy.**

Mello and Matt had been silent since Tripp told them how she became an orphan, or how she became to be here. They wore the same face the old man who found her did and the nurses who stitched up her back. So far the only ones who didn't show any emotion about her 'sob story' was herself and the boy that the old man was caring for.

She never spoke to him, he just came in when Tripp was being treated and looked at her. Then he whispered something to the man and left and the only emotion she could see on his face, even if it was only for a second, was confusion.

Why, she didn't know and never would 'cause she'd probably never see him again but she was still able to wonder.

Tripp wasn't bother by what happened to her, or emotionally scared. She just decided to take it as it is and not moan. At least she had possible family out there, these kids had no one.

She was still in half a daydream when the boys lead her to a large, ornate door that when opened revealed any gamers paradise. Tripp just stared for a minute, in awe of everything around her. She hadn't seen a game room like this before. Just the small room in the hospital that was full of kid's toys.

"You said you just started again with video games. Thought you might like to see the selection you can get." Matt said putting the PSP in his pocket. The room was painted dark midnight blue, play stations, pinball machines, dance machines, etc. It was like a fliming arcade in there!  
Tripp looked around and grinned sinisterly when she spotted the one game she'd actually played.

"Matt?" she asked looking at him from the corner of her eye. He turned to her.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Wana play Guitar Hero?" she asked. Matt smiled.

"Game on!"

The next half hour was spent playing Guitar Hero. Tripp won two games out of 20 and Matt won the rest. She had a sneaking suspicion he had let her win but when she confronted him with that idea he just denied it. So much for guys and their egos. Mello joined into after much persuading from Matt.

"Oh come on Mell! Just one game! Or are you to chicken?" he teased. Tripp laughed and made a chicken noise and Matt joined in after a while. She wasn't sure why she felt so at ease with the two boys, she didn't trust people very easily because of what her first known experience of life was. She thought, maybe, that it was the fact that Matt took things so easily and was very mellow about every thing, except games that was, whereas Mello was easily agitated and didn't back down from a challenge. They acted like two brothers with each other and that was what she believed was making her relax. It wasn't anything serious which was what she needed right now.

"I'm am not a chicken! Give me that controller!" he fumed, sticking the half eaten chocolate bar in his back jeans pocket and yanking the guitar controller away from Tripp. She mumbled nonsense and sat back to watch.

Matt won, no surprise there.

"Game set and match!" he shouted as he won. Mello jumped up and pointed at Matt.

"I want a re-match! This controller stopped working half way through!" he shouted. Tripp scoffed.

"A bad workman always blames his tools." She said, the ducked when tried to Mello through a pillow at her. An action that was surprising to her nonetheless.

"Okay Mell. I'll give you a re-match just stop attacking the new girl before she gets hurt. You'll be the one that gets into trouble." Matt reasoned. He obviously knew how to stop a Mello rampage. Tripp thought sitting back down thinking it would be a good idea to stay near Matt when Mello was pissed. She snickered at his name, whoever named him didn't know what Mello meant. Matt ended up picking 'I Love Rock n' Roll' a song Tripp hadn't heard yet.

"_Saw him dancin' there by the record machine  
I knew he must a been about seventeen"_

Tripp frowned, trying to think were she had heard that song before. The beat and voice sounded so familiar, something she hadn't experienced since she'd woken up that fateful night in the alley.

Tripp pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes; trying to remember as the noises of the games room fades out of focus.

_It's a café, people are talking over the music, drinking there coffee or hot chocolate. A girl gets up to leave at the same time as the person behind her does. She still hears the music as she walked out the café. The music started to fade but she heard the same tune being whistled. She walks into an ally, the whistle following from behind. Suddenly a sharp object goes through her lower back and…_

Tripp gasps as she sits up suddenly, her back arching. Mello and Matt turn to her.

"Are you okay Tripp?" Matt asked but Tripp didn't hear him. All she thought was that she needed to get to her room and fast.

Tripp continued to take in air like a fish out of water. She stood up quickly and motions to the two boys.

"I've got to go." She said, dopily leaving before they could say anything. She rans down the hallways, not caring about the "Hey!" 's and "Watch where your going."

Before she'd arrived at Wammy House the old man that help her, and ultimately sent her to the orphanage, also told her to write down anything she remembered as soon as it came to her. That it might open some new doors to her past. She followed his instructions, planning on carrying a small notebook with her but as usual she forgot about every time. She turned into another hall, realising she took the wrong turn. She turned again, quickly running back the way she came, not noticing the small white figure in front of her. Tripp ended up running right into him, knocking them both to the floor. Opening her eyes she saw the boy with white hair she saw earlier in class. He was looking up at her, frowning. She stood quickly and held a hand out for him but he refused it and began picking up the toys he dropped when Tripp ran into him.

"I'm so sorry!" Tripp exclaimed, helping him pick up the toys. He was short, but not tiny, dressed completely in what looked like white pyjamas that hadn't been button correctly.

"It's okay." He said in a monotone voice. Tripp noticed the toys were Transformers, she'd seen them when at the hospital and a very hyper little boy decided to indulged her with the story about Transformers and showing her what each on did. She had to admit they were pretty cool. When the toys were picked up Tripp apologised again.

"I really am sorry. I was just trying to get to my room." She cringed. He looked to her.

"You the new girl." He stated, not asked. Tripp nodded.

"I'm Tripp." She said holding out her hand.

"Near." He said shaking her held out hand. His skin was just as white as his clothes, a large contrast to his dark eyes. Tripp cringed again.

"Sorry about that" she said, motioning to the broken Transformer in his hand, that she recognised as Jazz from the little boy's rant. Near didn't seem to really care that much but she wasn't sure, for all she knew he could be crying on the inside. Tripp gave a nervous giggle.

"I guess I'm not called Tripp for nothing." She said. Near still didn't saw or do anything. She sighed and looked behind her.

"Sorry again. Look I really have to go now but I'll make it up to you later, I promise." She said starting off down the hall, running into every second person.

Near stayed where he was and looked at the retreating girls figure.

What an odd girl.

Good? Bad? Not sure? Please review no matter what you think!


	4. L and Christmas?

"Are you sure this is the right room Mello

A/N: For those who don't know I have changed parts of the third chapter so please read it. Anyway I felt like I needed to write this cause I don't update enough with this. Hope you like it.

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"Are you sure this is the right room Mello?" Matt asked, as both boys stopped outside room 223. Rock music, which Matt recognised from Devil May Cry 3 came from behind the door, obviously up far to loud.

"Roger said room 223 so yeah, I'm sure." Mello told him, knocking on the door. No one answered but they both went in anyway.

"Tripp?" Mello called, peaking into the room. The music was louder in the room making both boys ears hurt slightly. Tripp was lying on a bed on the left hand side of the room her eyes closed. Her chest was moving up and down evenly showing she was asleep. Matt tapped Mello on the shoulder.

"I think we should leave Mel." He told him, after turning the music down so it was just above a whisper. Mello had another idea though.

"Wakey, wakey Sunshine!" he called pushing her off the bed so she fell to the floor with a thump.

Matt rolled his eyes and looked at the sleeping girl that was now-thanks to Mello-lying on the floor.

"She still isn't awake Mel." Matt told him. Mello jumped onto the bed to see the girl lying on the floor, still asleep.

"You wouldn't happen to have some water on you?" Mello asked, an evil gleam in his eyes. Matt glared at Mello through his orange tinted goggles.

"Do I look like a water dispenser to you?" He asked Mello heading for the door.

"Let's just go, the bell for dinner rang five minutes ago and I'm starving." Matt said, opening the door to the hall. As he did Tripp stirred then shot up at the smell of food from the hall.

"Where's the food?" she asked. Matt snickered lightly.

"We came one to find you and two to tell you that it's dinner." Mello told her. She nodded, showing she understood then noticed she as on the floor.

"Um, why am I on the floor?" she asked.

"Must have fallen." Mello pointed out. Tripp seemed to take this and stood up, dusting herself off as Mello spotted something lying on the shelf on the wall.

"Where'd you get this?" Mello asked, holding up the clear plastic bag that contained a jagged-edged dagger. Tripp looked up, still dazed from being woken up.

"That's the infamous dagger that was found in my back when I woke up." She told them walking up to Mello, hands in pockets. Mello nodded in conformation and lay it back down on the shelf as Tripp sniffed the air.

"I smell vegie burgers and apple pie. Let go already." She said pulling the two boys out the room and down the hall, leaving them both in shock as she dragged them along. Mello leaned in to Matt so only he could hear him.

"Lets never wake her up during dinner again." He whispered, Matt agreed with a nod.

This 'just wakened' Tripp was creepy.

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The dinning hall was large and Victorian looking like the rest of the Orphanage and just as ornate.

It was also full of other screaming kids.

"Are you Vegetarian or something?" Mello asked, grimacing at Tripp's meal of a Vegie burger and apple pie, just as she smelt from her room. Tripp nodded.

"Yeap." She stated.

"Why?" Mello asked. Tripp shrugged.

"Didn't like the taste of meat, so I don't eat it." She told them, taking another bite out of her burger.

"What happened earlier in the games room." Mello burst out saying. Tripp flinched, mumbling something incoherent as Matt slapped his hand of his head.

"I didn't hear that." Mello said leaning closer so he could hear Tripp's mumbling.

"I said…a memory came to me. I needed to get to my room so I could write it down, sorry about running off like that by the way." She apologized. They talked more during lunch the two boys filling Tripp in on good movies and Matt telling her about good games to play and what had happened in the news. What Tripp noticed while the boys where arguing about a movie that there was a buzz in the air. She wasn't sure exactly what it was, Christmas coming up maybe?

What was Christmas about exactly again?

"What's with everyone?" Tripp asked, coming out of the dinner hall with Mello and Matt.

"L's coming on Christmas day. Everyone's trying to get ready." Matt told her.

"Who's L and what and when is Christmas again?" Tripp asked, confused. She hadn't heard about 'L' before. Matt was about to explain it when Mello butted in.

"Whose L?! L is the world's best and most famous detective! He's solved hundreds of difficult cases since he became a detective and were all working to be his successor." Mello explained. Tripp frowned.

"How does he pick though?" she asked.

"There are top three. I'm third, Mello's second and…"

"A little freak is number one." Mello growled, cutting Matt off again, looking slightly homicidal. Tripp was going to ask who the freak was but Matt stopped her by putting a hand on her shoulder.

"I wouldn't ask him about that. He'll blow up in your face about it if you do and it's Christmas Eve tomorrow it's a day when you give presents to friends to say thanks and a day of celebration. It differs around the world." Matt whispered to her. She nodded and kept quiet, planning on asking Matt about the 'little freak' later.

"One minute. I need to ask Roger something." Tripp told the two boys as they past Roger's door. They both nodded and said that she was to meet them in the games room again, mainly because it was the only place she knew of.

"Come in." Roger called when Tripp knocked on the door. Tripp peaked round the door carefully and then came in silently as Roger looked up.

"How can I help you Tripp?" he asked, clasping his hands in front of him.

"Um, I was wondering if I could go into town tomorrow if possible?" Tripp asked. If Matt was telling the true she only had tomorrow to find out more about Christmas and to see if she could get something for the two boys.

"You are able to go from 10am until 6pm when you must return by, other than that it is fine." He told her. She thanked him and left running to the games room, hoping to beat Matt at least once in the game he had picked.


	5. Merry Christmas!

"Hey Mello

**A/N: Hey! I'm back again. Sorry it took so long for me to update. My exams just finished so I've just gotten back to writing. Just so you know I've change things in the last chapter because it could have been done better.**

Christmas day.

So far Tripp didn't see what all the hullabaloo was about. All it was so far was gift giving and lots of red, green and fairy lights but she got something for the boys anyway.

Before she'd arrived at the Orphanage the old man-whose name would still remain a mystery-gave her some money saying it was to help her get back on her feet while at the Orphanage. She tried to refuse it but the old man was persistent.

Tripp went looking for the two boys fifteen minutes ago and so far found nothing; it was 11:45 now. She hoped they weren't in the lounge because from behind the door all she could hear was bubblegum chipmunks on helium music, the music genre she personally detested. Sighing she went in anyway hoping to get out quickly, with or without the boys. The music was louder inside the room making her head spin. The room was darker than it usually was, a large Christmas tree in the corner with tinsel wrapped round it along with thousands of coloured bobbles. Tinsel Garlands, hung from the ceiling with paper snowflakes and a silver disco ball. Food was laid out on the long table in the room, just beside the fire, covered with a white cloth and kids danced to the helium music in swaying and jumping motions that Tripp found slightly odd. She found them leaning against the far wall, Mello with his hands in his pockets, mumbling something and Matt engrossed in his PSP.

"Hey Mello! Matt! Catch!" Tripp said to the two boys throwing Mello a bar of chocolate and Matt a gift card for GAME ™ when the music was switched off.

"What's this for?" asked Mello, wondering why she was giving them something after only two days of knowing them. Usually everyone was staying clear of the two boys by that time.

"You're showing me around aren't you? It's a thanks." She told them smiling her usual calm and laid back smile. She looked just as she did when she first arrived at the Orphanage, only her hair was now a bright Forest Green for the holiday. The two boys had helped her out a lot over the passed two days, more than she'd expected. They'd filled her in with everything and anything, including L.

They –by they it was Mello as Matt never got a word in edge ways- explained to her exactly what he did and how he was a role model to everyone in the Orphanage. He also told her about the BB murder case and all the other cases he'd solved.

By the end she had to admit this L guy did sound pretty amazing.

Matt then got to tell her about Quillsh Wammy or 'Watari' as he was more commonly called, the owner and founder of Wammy House. An inventor who opened an Orphanage for the gifted which was later called Wammy House.

"Thanks I guess." Mello said to her.

"Thanks," Matt said copying Mello.

"What? No present for me Tripp. I'm hurt." Kyle said from behind. Tripp groaned inwardly, she'd hoped she was done with him on the first day after she punched him, sending him to the ground. According to Mello and Matt Kyle was the local Playboy, an asshole who dated and made out with a different girl on a daily, no hourly, bases. He also constantly made remarks about Mello and Matt, but that was only when there was a teacher around or when the boys weren't in the room. Everyone knew not to mess with Mello unless you wanted a broken bone.

Hoping to get it over with so she could get out of the room and away from the irritating music, she turned swiftly on her heel, facing Kyle and smiled again.

"Oh I have a present for you." She told him, clasping her hands behind her back and standing on her tiptoes, then, with out warning, she kneed as hard as she could in groin making him fall to the floor.

"Merry Christmas!" she told him when he collapsed to his knees, arms out as if bowing. With that she bolted, knowing that Kyle wasn't going to leave it.

Kyle's buddies looked to their leader in shock that he had been floored-once again- by the new girl.

"What are you idiots doing?! Go get her!" Kyle shouted to them, making them run after the black haired girl who was laughing as she left the room, after jumping onto several tables and dogging the food as Kyle's gang attempted to do the same but falling flat on their faces instead.

She intended on going to her room but knew that's the first place they would look for her, instead she ran down the opposite hall from her room. She could hear the boys shouting at each other but they were too far away to know what they were saying, making them sound like a pack of wild animals more than anything else.

She caught her breath at corner, leaning against the wall so she knew if anyone came near her. She looked round the corner and saw Kyle himself at the end of the hall, unfortunately he saw her as well, mostly because of her hair.

"You!" he shouted running over to her. Running as fast as her feet could to take her she ran and turned the next corner only to run into something hard making her fall to the ground, hitting her backside hard.

"Ow." She stated. Opening her eyes she saw the brown ceiling and a voice calling for her.

"Are you okay?" it asked. Groaning she sat up lithely to come face to face with a raven-haired boy.

"Are you okay?" he asked again, standing and holding out his hand to her. She nodded and took his hand, pulling herself up. When she was vertical she shook her head to clear the white sparkles that appeared in her vision, then looked at the boy that she'd ran into wanting apologize. The boy was skinny; she could see that even through his baggy jumper and jeans. He also had dark rings under his eyes, making it look like he hadn't slept for days, something Tripp could relate too as she tended to stay up longer than she should, of course it always seemed like a bad idea the next day.

"Sorry for running into you." Tripp said, brushing herself off and looking behind her to see no Kyle. Woose.

"You must be Tripp. Near told me that you have a tendency to run into people." The boy said. Tripp frowned.

"Who are you?" she asked slowly, it kicking in who he was, her eyes widened.

"You're the boy that was with the old man!" she exclaimed, pointing, most likely looking a bit crazy. The boy nodded.

"Yes, I am L and the 'old man' is Watari." He told her. Tripp nodded in understanding then it hit her again.

"So I was brought here by Quillsh Wammy himself. Well that's a bit of a bolt from the blue." Tripp said, looking into space at the end of the sentence.

"Kyle bothering you?" L asked. Tripp snapped her head up quickly.

"How did you…you know what forget it. Dumb question. Yes he was."

"Tripp! There you are!" Matt called, running over to L and her. He nodded at L.

"Hello L." he said politely as Mello came running up after Matt.

"How many times are you going to make us run after you!" he complained to Tripp, stopping dead in his tracks as he saw L.

"Well I never ask you to come after me." Tripp mumbled, but Mello was no longer listening to her. Too focused on his one and only idol.

"L! When did you get here?" Mello asked, trying to be as friendly as possible but not succeeding to that level. Tripp saw Matt roll his eyes under the orange tint of his glasses.

"He arrived here at three this morning. You were asleep at the time." He told Mello as all eyes went to him.

"What? I stayed up a bit late playing Halo 3. Is that a crime?" he asked. Tripp snickered and turned to L.

"Where was it you saw Near?" she asked him.

"What! Near saw you first! Damn it!" he shouted then mumbling an apology when L glared at him.

"He's in the playroom. Go down the hall then right and it's the second door on the left." He told her. She thanked him and was about to run off when he stopped her.

"And when you're done there come to Roger's office. Watari and myself would like to talk to you privately." Tripp saluted him and ran off down to the playroom, L also going in his own direction after saying goodbye to the boys.

"How the hell does she know Near!" Mello shouted to Matt who was seriously wishing she hadn't also. He didn't want another Mello rampage today, not that they were ever a good thing.

"How should I know? Lets go see." He said walking the same was Tripp had gone, Mello fuming behind him.

Tripp skidded to a halt as she reached the playroom, and poked her head through a gap in the door.

"Hello? Near are you here?" she called into the blinding white room.

"Over here." He called back. When Tripp knew were she was looking, she saw that he was crouching on the floor, barely visible with the white pyjamas he was wearing, surrounded by a dice city.

"Wow. That is so cool." She told him walking over to him.

"Was there anything you particularly wanted?" he asked, placing another die on a tower. Tripp snapped out of her awe and gave an awkward chuckle.

"Actually yes. Here." She said, taking a rectangular box from the small bag that slashed from her shoulder to hip. Near took the box with caution.

"What is it?" he asked.

"It's a present to say sorry for breaking your toy." She told him. He opened the wrapping paper carefully, not to rip it, reviling a new Jazz Transformer. Near had to admit- to himself at least- that he was surprised. He wasn't used to getting presents as all the kids at Wammy House, except Linda and Matt, were wary of Near because of his rank as number one and his coldness towards people. He only ever really got present from Matt, Linda and Roger and maybe one from L when he wasn't working on a case.

"Thank you." He said genuinely. Tripp smiled, happy that she'd made someone else happy that day.

"Your welcome." She replied as Mello rampaged through the door.

"How do you know Near?" he asked her, trying to keep his voice low enough so no one would come running.

"I ran into him two days ago. I broke one of his toys so I bought him a new one and I was giving it to him now. What did I do?" she asked, confused at what was going on.

Mello was about to say something else when Matt came to the rescue.

"Mello." he said calmly.

"What!" he shouted.

"The chocolate cake has been set out in the lounge." He said simply. That was enough to have Mello run out the room and down to the lounge, out of the playroom.  
"Well that was…odd." Tripp stated, looking at the door Mello had just ran out of.

"Nothing will keep Mello from chocolate." Matt told her, handing Near a small box full of dice.

"What was with him anyway?" Tripp asked.

"Mello doesn't like me because I'm number one in line to becoming L's successor." Near said, not taking his eyes off the dice city as he continued lengthen the city. Tripp frowned. Dumb reason to hate someone.

"Tripp. You're supposed to go to Roger's office. Remember." Matt reminded her. Tripp jumped.

"Oh yeah. Gotta go." She saluted then running out the playroom. It was quiet in the play room until Matt thought.

"Do you know why she was brought to Wammy's?" he asked, sitting down to help Near with the dice city.

"No. But L told me that it was Watari's idea." Near replied. Matt chuckled.

"Sent by Quillsh Wammy himself eh? Must have been something good." He thought out loud.

Tripp knocked on the heavy wooden door and waited for a reply before going into the office.

"You wanted to see me?" she asked walking in cautiously. Roger was sitting at his desk as L and Old man sat in the seats opposite. Tripp couldn't help but smile when she saw L's way of sitting.

"Yes, yes. Sit down Tripp." Roger said, motioning to a chair that was angled towards L and Watari as well as Roger. She couldn't help but be a bit uncomfortable with them all staring at her.

"Now Tripp I believe you know Watari and L." Roger stated. Tripp smiled.

"Yes. Thank you again for helping that night." She told them. Watari smiled at the girl.

"Well I could leave a girl dying in an alley now could I?" he told her. It was silent for a minute, the only sound coming from L who was eating some cake.

"Tripp I guess you already know what Wammy House Orphanage is for." L asked, breaking the silence. Tripp nodded.

"It's a school for people gifted intelligently. Which is what I don't get. Why am I here?" she asked, truly confused. Watari smiled again. Tripp couldn't help but like this old man, even if he hadn't been the one to find her.

"Remember the day after I found you? When I asked you to follow the instructions to make a buzzer that would contact me through my phone?" he asked. Tripp nodded. It had been simple enough to do and fun enough that it got her mind off the pain from her back.

"Well, what you didn't know was that all the instructions were wrong." L stated. Tripp froze for a minute. How could that be? The pager worked perfectly when she was finished and she'd followed the instructions.

"But I followed the instructions and it worked perfectly." She said a bit confused to where this was leading.

"Exactly. You unconsciously changed the instructions to make them work. Something only a very talented inventor would do." Watari explained. Tripp sat without saying a word for a moment. A talented inventor? Her?

"Why did you give me the task in the first place?" she asked, solemnly.

"We found a recording device in one of your jackets inside pockets. Very well made but when I looked for who created it I couldn't find it anywhere. So I decided to see if it was you who created it or someone you knew. Seeing as you passed the test it must have been you. The recording contained very valuable information about a drug smuggling company. " Watari told her.

"So what does this mean?" she asked.

"What it means is that, if you like, you would be Watari's successor. If something should happen to him you would take his place. As you could guess, working as my spokesperson and personal assistant would have it's life threatening moments. He would help you perfect your talent and, if needed, you would join Watari and I on cases. " L said, popping the strawberry from his cake in his mouth. All three men looked at her expectantly, waiting for her answer. Working with L to bring bad guys to justice?

Tripp paused again then smiled.

"Where do I sign?"

**A/N: So? How was it? Now please review!! I can take criticism so don't feel bad! It helps me change it for the better. So please review.**

**You should be happy I find holding chapters hostage a bad thing to do to my faithful readers. So please review!!**


	6. Sorry!

**As you probably know, I haven't updated this story since 2005 and if left in my hands it wouldn't be updated anytime soon So I have handed the story over to a friend of mine to continue. If you go over to EvilGnomes' page then you will find it continued there. I apologize greatly for any inconvenience. I am truly sorry about this but I do have other commitments and do want this to continue, just not with me writing it.**

**Here's a link:-**

**To EvilGnomes' page:-**

(.net/u/1875317/EvilGnomes)

**To story:-**

(.net/s/5270331/1/Cops_and_Robbers)


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